You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

Thank you so much everyone! I had a feeling that solids wouldn't change her sleep habits much, but I wonder why everyone says that if it's not true...

DH and I have talked, and I showed him the info on the KellyMom site. He agrees that we should wait a little longer to introduce solids (will look into BLS some more) and says he will back me up if anyone tries to push it before we think she's ready.

We feel much better and more confident after reading your responses. Thank you again for the support

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

Originally Posted by @llli*juliasmomma

I had a feeling that solids wouldn't change her sleep habits much, but I wonder why everyone says that if it's not true...

Man, if I had a nickel for every single thing that people repeat even though it's not true... Right now I'd be deciding whether or not to take my private jet to the Barbados, not whether or not I want to walk or drive over to the convenience store!

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

And with your MIL... just be careful that she is not going behind your back and defying your wishes. I know people don't want to think this about faaaaaaaaaaaamily, but having a former pediatric nurse who is clueless about breastfeeding and pressuring you to do what she wants = recipe for disaster, in my book.

You don't have to justify or defend or explain anything to her. You are the mom. If she can't follow your instructions than pay for childcare who can. That's my vote, anyway.

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

DD just turned 6 months the other day and form the past month I have been giving her one meal about 5 pm and itnhas never made her sleep through the night...so solisds in my case did not make baby sleep. If don't think baby is ready then baby is not ready.

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

Heck, if everything everyone else said about OUR babies was true, they would:
- NOT be breast feeding
- sleeping through the night by 3 weeks, when you put rice cereal in their bottles
- sleeping on their tummies
- still in walkers on wheels
etc. etc. etc.

I swear the "advice" we get is all from the 50's. It's almost 2012 - time to update what we do, what we believe in and what we listen to. Just let me say THANK GOD for the internet.

It reminds me of this story that kind of applies:
A daughter was watching her Mom make a roast. Her Mom carefully cut the ends off of the roast and put it into the pot. "Mom? Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?" "I don't know honey. My Mom always did it, so I always have. Maybe we should ask Grandma." she replied. They gave Grandma a call "Grandma? Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?" "I don't really right know. My Mom always did it, so I've always done what she did. Give Great Grandma a call." So they called the retirement home and got Great Grandma on the phone "Great Grandma? Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?" Great Grandma chuckled and said "Well honey, back in my day, we didn't have as may pots and pans as you do today, money was tight! So I'd have to cut off the ends to get it to fit into the only pot I had."

Just because it's always been done that way doesn't mean it's right, still applies or is based on the reasoning that people thought.

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

I seriously think that I could have written this post myself! Since my son has been three months old (he is now 6 months) my MIL has been bugging me about rice cereal. Finally one evening two weeks before our 6-month MD appointment, she blew up on me and confronted me about why I won't feed him rice cereal and basically insinuated that maybe I was starving him! I got really upset and wouldn't talk to her for weeks. Then, at our doctor's appointment, she also suggested we try rice cereal and begin feeding him to 'fatten' him up and help him sleep better at night. So we fed him his first non-breast milk that night- rice cereal, and he screamed for three hours!

I have been using the Baby-Led Weaning/Feeding method with him and have only fed him a bit of oatmeal since then- and he is sleeping WORSE than he did before! He is really enjoying eating, though, which is fun for us. We have been giving him sticks/chunks of sweet potato, apple, pear, carrot, etc. Would love to tell you my experiences with this method as it unfolds in our 6-month old.

Anyway, the biggest lesson I have learned in all of this is that solid food has NOT made him sleep better, rice cereal has almost NO nutritional value and really isn't necessary, and the biggest lesson of all is that I really need to trust my own instincts to do what is best for my child and not go off of what everyone else wants to tell me about sleeping, eating, etc. I feel like I am getting crazy with everyone's advice. I am just going to do what we think is best and know that it is FINE. I guess I am ranting a bit, also, but really just want you to know that you are not alone in this, that you should do what feels right to you and your husband, and that you are not somehow depriving your healthy child if you don't start cereal, or even food at all! Breast milk is best! In the old days, they didn't start foods until 9 or 10 months when they got the pincher grasp, and everyone somehow survived to adulthood!

I would have loved it if solid food made him sleep better, but it hasn't! In fact, he has gotten worse because now he is gassy and trying to figure out his new solid food poop thing! Hang in there, keep doing what you are doing. Breast milk really is the best thing until at LEAST 6 months of age. There are many reasons for that, many of which are covered in the Baby-Led Weaning book I have. Good luck and let us know how things are going!

Re: Venting.... & Questions about solids

Even the AAP recommends waiting until baby is 6 months old before 'introducing' solids. They recommend 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding-That means nothing else. So you could show that to anyone questioning your choices, but then of course they may expect you to break out a big meal on the 6th month birthday.

At LLL we are not that hard nosed about it and merely suggest moms look for the developmental signs a baby is ready and start offering and experimenting with solids 'around the middle of the first year." "Offering" means just that-offer the food and see what baby does. It does not mean "put it in a spoon and shove it into baby's mouth when they are looking the other way." Some babies indicate readiness a bit before 6 months, but for many, it is after 6 months & for some, long after that.

Another danger of too early solids or solids 'pushed' on baby is that the baby fills up on the 'solid' meal and does not nurse as much and milk supply is affected. Since breastmilk should be baby's primary source of nutrition for at least the first year, that can be a big problem.